From The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii Best Nearby Gardens (Attractions & Activities) (10 Overall Closest) Metro: Big Island, HI World Botanical Gardens (Attractions & Activities - Gardens) Off Hwy 19 near the 16-mile marker, Umauma  HI  96728 • 808-963-5427 Distance: ~47.42 mi         Description: UMAUMA. Sprawled across 300 acres of a former sugarcane plantation, World Botanical Gardens currently boasts more than 5,000 species of plants (many of them rare and endangered) – the eventual goal is 30,000 species. Offering something for everyone, the site boasts a family-friendly hedge maze, a wheelchair-accessible rainforest walk, and beautiful, three-tiered Umauma Falls, which visitors claim to be one of the most beautiful of the Big Island's waterfalls. When fruits are in season, expect free samples and chilled juices made from them. Guided tours last two hours and include lunch. Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden (Attractions & Activities - Gardens) 27-717 Old Mamalahoa Hwy, Papaikou  HI  96781 • 808-964-5233 Distance: ~50.90 mi         Description: PAPAIKOU. About 10 miles outside of Hilo Bay, overlooking the Big Island's dramatic north shore, sits the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, a virtual Eden consisting of more than 2000 varieties of palms, heliconias, ferns, orchids, gingers, and bromeliads. A tranquil network of paths leads visitors past the garden's many spectacles, including the enchanting Onomea Falls, Banyan Canyon, and the Lily Lake Vista. The garden dates to the late 1970s. Nani Mau Gardens (Attractions & Activities - Gardens) 421 Makalika St, Hilo  HI  96720 • 808-959-3500 Distance: ~55.80 mi         Description: HILO. Makato Nitahara, owner and masterful green thumb behind this exquisite garden, began planting tropical flowers in this former papaya patch more than two decades ago. Today, he estimates that his 2000-plus species of plants and flowers represent one of the largest such collections in the state, and the garden's 20 acres include a traditional Japanese garden with waterfalls, a European garden, a lily pond, an annual garden, and a beach garden. Nani Mau is a popular setting for outdoor weddings, and the on-site Garden Court and Garden View restaurants offer lovely settings. Copyright ©2001 10Best Inc. All rights reserved.